WiFi not visible Altibox branded EX5601-T0

[Ols12]

installed OpenWRT 24.10.2 according to the wiki guide for T-56 / EX5601-T0 on an Altibox branded unit.

Upgraded to 24.10.3 and set up WiFi, but the ssid is not visible. WPS works and also ssid is visible after pressing WiFi button on router. Scanning shows neighboring APs in addition to the local interface. Country code is set for each radio. Attempting to connect to the SSID as a hidden network does not work either. After scanning is complete the SSID shows up and I can connect. Changing any radio settings and applying them causes the SSID to disappear again, and I have to do another scan to make it reappear.

Did anyone else attempt flashing an ex5601-t0 from Altibox or experience similar behavior?

[lleachii]

@Ols12

WPS works and also ssid is visible after pressing WiFi button on router.

This button should have no functionality in official OpenWrt by default.

@Ols12

Changing any radio settings and applying them causes the SSID to disappear again, and I have to do another scan to make it reappear.

This sounds normal.

Can we seen your configs?

Please connect to your OpenWrt device using ssh and copy the output of the following commands and post it here using the "Preformatted text </> " button:

Remember to redact passwords, VPN keys, MAC addresses and any public IP addresses you may have:

ubus call system board
cat /etc/config/network
cat /etc/config/wireless

[Ols12]

BusyBox v1.36.1 (2025-09-19 21:19:38 UTC) built-in shell (ash)

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 -----------------------------------------------------
 OpenWrt 24.10.3, r28872-daca7c049b
 -----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:~# ubus call system board
{
	"kernel": "6.6.104",
	"hostname": "OpenWrt",
	"system": "ARMv8 Processor rev 4",
	"model": "Zyxel EX5601-T0 ubootmod",
	"board_name": "zyxel,ex5601-t0-ubootmod",
	"rootfs_type": "squashfs",
	"release": {
		"distribution": "OpenWrt",
		"version": "24.10.3",
		"revision": "r28872-daca7c049b",
		"target": "mediatek/filogic",
		"description": "OpenWrt 24.10.3 r28872-daca7c049b",
		"builddate": "1758316778"
	}
}
root@OpenWrt:~# 

network

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/network 

config interface 'loopback'
	option device 'lo'
	option proto 'static'
	option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'
	option netmask '255.0.0.0'

config globals 'globals'
	option ula_prefix 'redacted'

config device
	option name 'br-lan'
	option type 'bridge'
	list ports 'lan1'
	list ports 'lan2'
	list ports 'lan3'
	list ports 'lan4'

config interface 'lan'
	option device 'br-lan'
	option proto 'static'
	option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
	option netmask '255.255.255.0'
	option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'wan'
	option device 'eth1'
	option proto 'dhcp'

config interface 'wan6'
	option device 'eth1'
	option proto 'dhcpv6'

root@OpenWrt:~# 

and wireless

oot@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/wireless 

config wifi-device 'radio0'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path 'platform/soc/18000000.wifi'
	option band '2g'
	option channel '1'
	option htmode 'HE20'
	option country 'NO'
	option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
	option device 'radio0'
	option network 'lan'
	option mode 'ap'
	option ssid 'OpenWrt'
	option encryption 'psk2'
	option key '12345678'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
	option type 'mac80211'
	option path 'platform/soc/18000000.wifi+1'
	option band '5g'
	option channel '36'
	option htmode 'HE80'
	option country 'NO'
	option cell_density '0'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
	option device 'radio1'
	option network 'lan'
	option mode 'ap'
	option ssid 'OpenWrt'
	option encryption 'psk2'
	option key '12345678'

root@OpenWrt:~# 

The settings are stock with the exception of setting security, country and enabling wifi.

[lleachii]

What settings do you change that cause the WiFi to "dissappear"?

(Everything you've shown and describe seems normal thus far, including the 'disappearing'.)

[Ols12]

If I change the channel or transmit power, the ssid is no longer visible to clients after applying the settings. It remains unavailable to any client (iOS/macos/linux) until I do a channel scan or press the WiFi/wps button. This is not the expected behavior. The 2.5 and 5Ghz leds indicate that WiFi is enabled as expected.

[lleachii]

This is normal. The radio has to reconfigure itself to the new parameters.

@Ols12

This is not the expected behavior.

This is expected and normal.

How long does it take for e.g. a cellphone to reconnect (perhaps without forcing a scan)?

[Ols12]

sorry for the misunderstanding. When I said channel scan I meant on the OpenWrt device itself, in the status-channel analysis tab. If no action is taken on the openwork device, the wifi is indefinitely invisible to the wireless clients, even if the leds are on and wifi is enabled in the config files. As for unexpected, I have used a dozen or two of different openwrt devices and never come across this behavior before.

[lleachii]

@Ols12

sorry for the misunderstanding. When I said channel scan I meant on the OpenWrt device itself

I meant the OpenWrt too.

I see you're saying that only a channel scan on the OpenWrt makes the radio reappear- that is odd.

(Meaning, you didn't answer my question to get clarity on the behavior on a phone - how long until it reappears.)

@Ols12

As for unexpected, I have used a dozen or two of different openwrt devices and never come across this behavior before.

Interesting. I have a few dozen devices, too. I've always experienced the radio dissappear when altering radio configurations.

Perhaps others can chime in.

[frollic]

Disable the radios, via ssh run logread -f, re-enable the radios.

Post the log output.

[Ols12]

Wed Nov  5 19:31:44 2025 daemon.notice netifd: radio0 (12350): WARNING: Variable 'data' does not exist or is not an array/object
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Set new config for phy phy0:
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice wpa_supplicant[1887]: Set new config for phy phy0
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice wpa_supplicant[1887]: Set new config for phy phy0
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Set new config for phy phy0: /var/run/hostapd-phy0.conf
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Restart interface for phy phy0
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Configuration file: <inline> (phy phy0) --> new PHY
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Configuration file: Reading configuration file '<inline>'
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.704384] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.710226] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered disabled state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.716142] mt798x-wmac 18000000.wifi phy0-ap0: entered allmulticast mode
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.723397] mt798x-wmac 18000000.wifi phy0-ap0: entered promiscuous mode
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.730478] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.736304] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered forwarding state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy0-ap0: interface state UNINITIALIZED->COUNTRY_UPDATE
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.742467] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered disabled state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Network device 'phy0-ap0' link is up
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.836847] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 kern.info kernel: [38047.842691] br-lan: port 4(phy0-ap0) entered forwarding state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy0-ap0: interface state COUNTRY_UPDATE->ENABLED
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy0-ap0: AP-ENABLED
Wed Nov  5 19:31:45 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Wireless device 'radio0' is now up
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: read /etc/hosts - 12 names
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: read /tmp/hosts/dhcp.cfg01411c - 4 names
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq-dhcp[1]: read /etc/ethers - 0 addresses
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using nameserver 1.0.0.1#53
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using nameserver 1.1.1.1#53
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzzfzgzbz.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzperform.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzmyl.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzmjfixezere.site
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjvqzmkazvo.top
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjkf.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjhkyprpsvl.store
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzz-log-upload.mihoyo.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using standard nameservers for cdn.jsdelivr.net
Wed Nov  5 19:31:47 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using 182910 more local addresses
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.warn odhcpd[2106]: No default route present, setting ra_lifetime to 0!
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using nameserver 1.0.0.1#53
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using nameserver 1.1.1.1#53
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzzfzgzbz.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzperform.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzmyl.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzmjfixezere.site
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjvqzmkazvo.top
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjkf.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzzjhkyprpsvl.store
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using only locally-known addresses for zzz-log-upload.mihoyo.com
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using standard nameservers for cdn.jsdelivr.net
Wed Nov  5 19:31:48 2025 daemon.info dnsmasq[1]: using 182910 more local addresses
Wed Nov  5 19:31:51 2025 daemon.notice netifd: radio1 (12828): WARNING: Variable 'data' does not exist or is not an array/object
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Set new config for phy phy1:
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice wpa_supplicant[1887]: Set new config for phy phy1
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice wpa_supplicant[1887]: Set new config for phy phy1
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Set new config for phy phy1: /var/run/hostapd-phy1.conf
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Restart interface for phy phy1
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Configuration file: <inline> (phy phy1) --> new PHY
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: Configuration file: Reading configuration file '<inline>'
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.739705] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.745582] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered disabled state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.751432] mt798x-wmac 18000000.wifi phy1-ap0: entered allmulticast mode
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.758654] mt798x-wmac 18000000.wifi phy1-ap0: entered promiscuous mode
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.765794] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.771619] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered forwarding state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38054.777788] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered disabled state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy1-ap0: interface state UNINITIALIZED->COUNTRY_UPDATE
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy1-ap0: interface state COUNTRY_UPDATE->HT_SCAN
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Wireless device 'radio1' is now up
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38055.181569] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered blocking state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 kern.info kernel: [38055.187435] br-lan: port 5(phy1-ap0) entered forwarding state
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice netifd: Network device 'phy1-ap0' link is up
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy1-ap0: interface state HT_SCAN->ENABLED
Wed Nov  5 19:31:52 2025 daemon.notice hostapd: phy1-ap0: AP-ENABLED

[LS3434]

From this log both wifi radios are coming up normal.

[Ols12]

Did an upgrade to 24.10.4. I changed the transmitt power from auto to maximum, and now I can see the SSID if i leave the phone within 10 cm of the router. Even then, it is missing one bar, moving further away causes it to fade out… Starting to wonder if there is something physically wrong with this unit…

[jdwl1o1]

Are you certain this is exactly the same device as the Zyxel? including the partition layout and calibration data location.

Symptoms sound like toast calibration data. Are there errors with the radio start in dmesg?

[Ols12]

That was an assumption on my part, based on the similar model number. I did not verify that Altibox did not change the layout or structure, and further assumed that the ubootmod would work regardless…

[frollic]

@Ols12

based on the similar model number.

define "similar" ...

[Ols12]

Zyxel EX5601-T0 label…

[jdwl1o1]

Can you flash it back to Stock and see if performance returns to normal? and then check that the factory firmware actually matches what openwrt is expecting.

[Ols12]

Absolutely. I would however appreciate som pointers on going from bootmod to stock as I did not take note of the original layout

[frollic]

Adding OpenWrt support for Zyxel EX5601-T0

Reverting OpenWRT ubootmod to stock ZYXEL EX5601-T1 firmware with stock layout. At this moment i'm editing everything and adding screenshots so everyone can understand how I do it. Please make sure you acknowledge the following and proceed at your own risk: I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time. I clearly lack the knowledge and experience with anything Linux related. I sometimes make things too complicated for no reason. I do most things in redundancy because i lack the self confide…

[Ols12]

Thanks! I followed the procedure but after the sysupgrade step, when I press a key to stop autoboot, I am prompted for a password… the only password I’ve seen in the other thread did not work…